The Meaning Of Life
by Mage of the Heart
Summary: Gene's been thinking about the meaning of life... but where does a gun come into it? Fluffy/smutty oneshot, just for fun! Rated M.


**I don't own Ashes to Ashes**

**Just a bit of fluffy/smutty fun to entertain. No plot to speak of, really... just Mage having a bit of a giggle :-) No specific timing for this- not really aimed at S1 or S2 to be honest, just innuendo and good honest filth :-)**

**Enjoy! ;-)**

**----**

This was what life was about, he thought, glancing up at the darkened sky. It was about this moment of anticipation, where everything and nothing were simultaneously dangling in front of your eyes, taunting you with all the 'could-be's and 'should-be's that had ever existed. It was about the scent of the wet rain on the tarmac, and the sound of the harsh, thundering racket as the droplets crashed into the wall. It was all the scents and sights and sounds and tastes and feelings that assaulted the body as you waited for who knows what in the middle of the street, all senses kept peeled for the slightest hint of knowledge or importance. It was about the distant lull of drunken singing as colleagues' devoured pint after pint in the aftermath of finishing a huge case. It was about the light just across the street, which flickered off even as he watched a silhouette disappear into nothing in a single millisecond. It was about the thunder of his heart as he waited in the downpour, watching the quiet building with an intensity that caused his stomach to ache. It was about the sensation of warmth as the nicotine hit his blood, and it was about the burning red ember that stood out stark against the blackened night. It was about the amusement of seeing a woman run swiftly against the rain, her arms held in front of her face as if to stop the onslaught, swearing in disgust and grimacing as it splattered against her face.

And most of all, he thought, it was about the sight of Alex Drake, soaked to the skin in a white blouse, which would have given sight to her underwear, had she not opted for the white once again, rendering her top half, for all intents and purposes, completely naked. He didn't ask where her jacket was, taking the time to admire the view as she scampered across the street, breasts moving up and down as she ran to his side, pert nipples totally visible until she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering as she looked up at him.

"Sorry I'm late!" she yelled above the din of the rain and the raucous noise of Luigi's customers. "Couldn't find my jacket!"

Gene took one last drag on his cigarette, and then stubbed it out on the floor, shrugging out of his overcoat and wrapping it around her shoulders, a low rumble of appreciation rising in his throat as she tugged it tight around herself, smiling warmly up at him from the confines of his jacket. "Thanks," she managed, still shivering despite the warm imprint that his body heat had left behind on the fabric of his coat.

"Don't thank me Bols," he said. "I just don't want the dirty buggers downstairs gettin' an eyeful of yer tits before I get a good peek meself." He grinned lewdly, glancing up at the sky and flinching as the rain hammered into his face. "Get yer arse inside, Bols," he said, pushing her towards the steps that led down to Luigi's restaurant. "Much as I love a slippery wet DI to park me bike in, I'd rather do it in the warm!"

She rolled her eyes, tugging the jacket tighter around her as she hurried down the steps, slipping into the restaurant with Gene close behind, lowering her voice to barely above a whisper as he joined her. "I'd have thought you'd appreciate the cold to help you get it up, DCI Hunt- word is, you've got a very large gun..." She winked, and Gene frowned, failing to make any link between her comment and his own. She laughed, shaking her head as she went on, "You must know what they say about guns, Gene," she teased, grinning widely. When he simply frowned, she sighed, "the bigger the gun," she started, smirking, "the smaller the-!"

She broke off as Gene narrowed his eyes, instantly reaching to his waist and drawing his gun from its holster; it was a simple, small, hand-pistol that would have been totally unnoticeable had he been wearing his coat. He raised one eyebrow and spoke quietly to her, his voice slightly raw and gruff as he did so.

"By your calculations, Ms Drake, how big should mine be?" He smirked, catching her blush as he added, "reckon I could fire a couple of bullets into you with a weapon like that, wouldn't you say?" His thumb ran suggestively over the barrel, before he re-holstered it, chuckling at the flush on her cheeks as he pushed her towards the door that would lead to her flat. "Come on; tables booked fer eight, an' I need to stop off at me flat for a clean shirt before we get there."

----

Alex let him in quickly, his coat still wrapped around her as she flicked on the light and told him to help himself to a drink whilst she got changed. She tried not to notice the way his blonde hair was plastered to his head, looking several shades darker than normal when soaked through with rain. His blue shirt was wet through at the front, though his blazer seemed to have gone some way to saving him from too much rain, leaving an obscurely shaped wet patch at the front as he tossed the soaked blazer over the back of her sofa and helped himself to whiskey. With a shake of the head, she headed into her bedroom, closing the door behind her as she hurried to find an outfit. She had planned to wear a short black dress, weather permitting, but the howling wind and heavy rain pour had changed her mind somewhat; instead, she voted for the grey jumper dress, pairing it up with stockings, and a familiar ensemble of red beads, heels and belt. In a bid to be as quick as possible, she pinned her hair up in a loose bun, allowing small tendrils to fall free and hoping that it wouldn't dry in a disastrously large mess of frizz once they were at the restaurant. She cleaned off the makeup that had run on her face, reapplying it as swiftly as she could before stepping back into the living room, watching as Gene glanced over, nodded approvingly, and then downed his whiskey in one.

"'bout time," he said, standing up and shrugging his blazer back on, before holding his overcoat out towards her. "You gunna be needin' this?"

Alex shook her head, pulling a long coat from the umbrella stand and wrapping it around herself. "Nope, I'm all set." With a winning smile, she allowed Gene to hold open the door for her, grabbing an umbrella on the way and ignoring his mutterings of contempt as he followed her down the stairs.

---

Settled into the car, coat pulled tight around her and the heating fired up to maximum as they drove, Alex glanced across at Gene, eyes fixating on the strong, elegant hands as they gripped the wheel, turning it expertly as he muttered about other drivers, and speed limits and seat belts and pedestrians... She smiled, biting lightly at her lower lip as the bizarre nature of the situation sank in; she was going on a date with Gene Hunt. A proper date, in a restaurant away from prying eyes, with candles and waiters and menus and wine, and, to top it off, no looming spectre of doom on the horizon.... All-in-all, she was quite ready to admit that the whole thing felt delightfully normal, something that, in the strange, foreign land of the eighties, was quite uncommon.

"You warm enough?" He asked, jerking her from her thoughts and causing her to blink in surprise as his hand hovered over the dials on the dashboard. The strange realization that he was making small talk made her grin, and she shook her head.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," she smiled warmly at him, glancing at the road as they turned a corner.

Gene made a grumpy noise of assent, muttering a smutty comment Alex wasn't entirely sure she was meant to hear beneath his breath; "shame... could've done with a bit of central heating..." She thought she caught his eyes trailing up her legs, resting a moment longer than necessary at the apex of her thighs, before he looked back at the road.

Smirking, Alex murmured, "of course, a little bit of sweat never hurt anyone..." She winked at him, crossing her legs one over the other and running a hand lightly over her calf, her eyes never leaving this. A moment later, Gene had slammed on the brakes, gulping hard.

"We're here," he muttered, stepping out of the car in a swift motion.

Alex laughed to herself, opening the door and lifting the umbrella before stepping out of the car and following Gene into the restaurant.

----

"Thought I'd stick with the tried an' tested," Gene muttered as they entered, just as Alex caught the scent of warm bolognaise in the air, followed by a waiter carrying numerous plates, which he settled before a group of four. A waitress approached them, smiling warmly when Gene told her his name, and leading them to a discreet corner booth, with two places already lay out. He took Alex's coat from her shoulders in a surprisingly gentlemanly gesture, his fingers brushing her arm as he drew it away and handed it to the waitress along with his own with barely a word of thanks.

When they were alone, Gene slid into the booth, sitting across from Alex and taking a breadstick from the basket before them, biting the end off with gusto as she watched. She laughed, taking one and snapping it sedately in half, before munching on one end and passing the other half across the table to him. He glowered slightly, shaking his head.

"Don't be such a girl," he muttered, pushing her hand away. "It's got less calories than a gob full of spunk, and about half the taste- don't tell me you're not hungry?"

Alex rolled her eyes, putting the breadstick to the side of her serviette and placing her hands on the table in front of her. "So this is how you behave on a real date is it? Making lewd references to events that may or may not happen in the course of the evening?"

Gene shrugged, avoiding eye contact for a moment as he answered. "Don't go on many dates, Bolly; you know that."

"I do?" She asked, bemused. He nodded, not adding anything else until she said, "How do I?"

"Spend most me evenings making sure you don't fall on that puny arse of yours; no time for a bloody date!" He motioned to the nearest waiter, ignoring Alex's faltering blinks as they ordered drinks, and then sighing when she spoke again.

"But you're always leaving the bar with women!" She said, apparently incredulous, and Gene couldn't help the grin that spread across his lips.

"Don't 'date' them, though, Bols; just buy 'em a drink and tell 'em I'm a copper- knickers drop faster than confetti!" He winked lewdly at her, picking up the drink the waiter placed before him and taking a deep gulp, his eyes not leaving Alex's as he did so.

She simply sat there, sipping on her red wine and trying to think of something to say.

"So," she said eventually, sounding hesitant as she continued, "you never see any of them again?"

"Right."

"And you never buy them dinner?" She asked, surprised.

"Right again..."

Hesitantly, she asked, "so, why do _I _get dinner then?"

Gene shrugged, reaching into his pocket and lighting up a cigarette before he replied, his voice teasing as he replied. "You wear nicer knickers than the rest of 'em."

Her eyebrows flew up her forehead at his words, and he chuckled, exhaling smoke in her direction as she spoke. "And you'd know this because...?"

"I almost stamped yer arse," Gene pointed out, glancing at her outfit and smirking. "You wearing the same knickers now?"

"No," Alex said smugly, sipping on her wine and failing to conceal her smile. "I'm wearing a brand new pair..." She gave him a coy wink, and then picked up her menu, pretending to peruse it thoroughly, despite having already decided what to have. "And if you play your cards right, you might get a sneaky peak!" Gene watched her for a few moments, shifting his legs slightly apart beneath the table to accommodate himself more comfortably. He glanced at his own menu, then pushed it aside and leant forwards.

"So then Bols," he murmured, stubbing out his cigarette in the ash tray and leaning closer still. "You datin' any fancy men at the moment?"

She laughed, shaking her head but refusing to look up, even as she answered. "Not right now, no..."

"Shame," Gene muttered, though his voice was anything but sympathetic; Alex smiled to herself, and took another sip of wine.

"Isn't it just?" She answered, running her finger around the rim of her glass after having settled it on the table.

Gene finished off his pint, ordering another one swiftly before he said, quite simply; "Good."

Alex blinked, glancing at the returning waiter, then back to Gene."What's good?" She asked, glancing up at him and frowning in obvious confusion. He hesitated, and then opened his mouth to speak, only to have the waiter interrupt and ask if they were ready to order. With a breath of relief, Gene ordered starter and main course, and Alex let the question slide.

----

"So, this gun of yours," Alex said, giggling tipsily over her cheesecake as Gene dug into his own chocolate fudge cake. "Is it any good?"

Gene grinned, spearing a large forkful and watching as she quirked her eyebrows suggestively. "Handles like a dream, Bols," he murmured, not breaking eye contact as he closed his mouth around his fork. Alex smirked, her tongue peeking out to catch a stray morsel of cheesecake from her lips.

"Effective?" She asked.

"For its size," Gene answered, not missing a beat. Alex laughed, shaking her head in amusement as he went on. "Slips into the holster like fingers into Vaseline," he said, pushing his empty dessert bowl aside and watching as she slowly made her way through her own dessert, her cheeks slightly flushed as she answered him.

"I suppose that makes a definitive advantage," she conceded, biting her lip slightly to distract herself from the tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach, and the rapid melting at her centre as Gene spoke.

"Makes the whole thing a great deal smoother," he murmured, eyes darkening as she lifted her face upwards to meet his gaze. "In the right hands, it's lethal..."

She couldn't help the laughter then, spluttering slightly into her wine glass and shaking her head again as she managed a laughter-splintered reply. "Good aim?" She giggled.

"Never missed yet," Gene confirmed, eyes dancing. He watched her for a few moments, seeing the bite of her lip and the flush of her cheek before speaking very softly to her. "Fancy testin' it out?"

Alex was only surprised for a second, recovering swiftly as she giggled her amusement. She gave a coy nod, and a second later Gene motioned for the bill, instantly reaching into his wallet and dropping two twenty pound notes onto the table. Ignoring Alex's protests that he had to get seventeen pounds change, he reached across the table for her hand, standing up and tugging her swiftly through the restaurant.

"Armed and dangerous, Bolly," he growled as they moved, pulling her through the room with his fingers still wrapped tightly around hers. "Can't lose precious ammunition, can we?"

"Oh no," Alex laughed, watching as Gene collected their coats, then allowing him to hold hers up as she threaded her arms through the sleeves, adding in an undertone, "especially not if it takes a long time to reload."

Gene paused behind her, his breath hot on her skin and hands stilling on her shoulders as he murmured softly in her ear; "You'll pay for that!"

She grinned, turning her face slightly towards his and murmuring, "So shoot me," in such a sultry voice that Gene felt himself twitch.

"Oh, I plan to!" He assured her, his hand flitting to her waist and rubbing suggestively into her skin. She turned to him, threading her fingers through his as she laughed freely and openly; he decided there and then that life wasn't about watching her run across the road in a see-through blouse after all; it was about hearing her laugh, just like that, every day that he could.

----

They were in the car within a few minutes, Gene starting the engine before Alex had finished doing up her seat belt, and speeding away as soon as he could. Alex watched him, grinning to herself as he wet his lips and gulped slightly, every now and then adjusting his position and repositioning his legs. She wanted to tease him some more, but could barely find it in herself to stop imagining the string of things she was praying and hoping he planned to do to her before the night was over... She glanced at the clock, saw that it was only half ten, and smiled slyly to herself, relishing the burning tension between them, whilst simultaneously hoping it would break the next moment so that she could drag him into the backseat and have her way with him...

"While I think about it," Gene muttered, his voice slightly hoarse and cracked, "you got any- y'know...?" He glanced at her hesitantly, terrified that she'd say no and the whole night would be over in seconds. She looked at him, confused.

"What?" She asked, her eyebrows creased into a frown.

Gene shifted slightly as they rounded another corner, gulping before he spoke again. "Y'know... protection?" He cringed, seeing her raise her eyebrows slightly in surprise.

"I don't have a gun, Gene," she said seriously, though her teeth clenched around the inside of her cheek as she spoke, revelling in prolonging his discomfort as she glanced slyly down at his tented trousers, hearing his slight groan. "I'm sure we'll only need the one!"

"Alex," Gene growled, eyes dark and both hands clenched on the wheel. "D'you have any? Seriously?"

She laughed, nodding her head and placing her head back against the headrest as she grinned. "Yes Gene, we're perfectly safe."

"Good," Gene muttered, slamming the brakes on and getting out of the car. "'cause we're back!"

---

He followed her up the stairs with his hands in his pockets, hair plastered to his head after having been caught yet again in the hammering rain. She let him in without hesitation, dropping her keys on the table inside the door and turning to offer him whiskey a moment later; he didn't answer, simply pulling her against him and looking down into her eyes for a few long, perfect moments, her arms sliding comfortably, if a little nervously, around his back as she met his gaze. The only other sign of nervous anticipation was the slight gulp at her throat and the way she flicked her tongue out across her lips; he felt himself twitch.

Gene's hand slid into her hair, fingers massaging her scalp gently and lightly before he leaned forwards, eyes still open as he came within an inch of her mouth, his breath tickling across her warm skin. "Alex?" He murmured, his voice questioning and uncertain.

She nodded gently, her voice barely audible as she murmured, "yes."

A moment later, his mouth was on hers, and a split-second after that, his mind changed again; life wasn't about making Alex Drake laugh- it was about kissing her as sweetly and passionately as was humanly possible, at every chance he got, without any concern for the consequences.

---

He wasn't sure how it happened, but a few minutes later he was pressing her down into the bed, admiring her skimpy red underwear and wondering at which point it was between the front door and the bedroom that she had managed to remove everything but his boxers. Her hands were in his hair, dragging him back down for a fierce kiss, one of her legs wrapped tightly around his back as his tongue tangled passionately with hers. "Alex..." he murmured, dragging his mouth across her cheek, down the column of her neck and along her collarbone, one hand cupping her breast through the fabric of her red lacy bra, whilst the other travelled downwards to push aside her knickers, fingers slipping into her without hesitation as she moaned softly beneath him.

"Nicely oiled holster," he murmured, kissing down her chest and unclasping her bra as he went, tossing it into the corner as he pumped his fingers gently within her. "Should hold it just right..." His other hand returned to her breast, tongue swiping at her taut nipple as he let out a soft sight of appreciation. "Good pair of bazookas," he said warmly, nipping lightly at her, ignoring her breathless laughter as he slid his mouth and hand lower, moving down her stomach.

"Gene," Alex whimpered, writhing as his mouth left a trail of red marks across her hips and stomach. "Gene, please..." Her hands tangled into his hair, and a moment later he'd slipped the skimpy knickers down her legs, replacing the fingers inside her with his mouth and licking gently at her clit as her breathing escalated, her chest rising and falling as he brought her swiftly to the brink of orgasm, then slid back up her body without finishing.

"Bastard!" She hissed, fingers tightening in his hair as he kissed her fiercely, his warm mouth tasting distinctly of her and causing her to shiver in arousal, grinding herself against his hips with eagerness.

"Be nice," Gene murmured, nipping his teeth lightly at her lip. "Don't want to shoot off too early, Bols; it's all about the wait!"

She pushed his chest, rolling him onto his back and sliding down from the bed, settling between his legs and eyeing his boxers with a lick of the lips. Gene lifted himself onto his elbows, looking down at her with raised eyebrows, glistening eyes silently daring; she accepted without hesitation, sliding her hands up his thighs and grinning as he let out a soft groan of desire.

"New weapon, is it, Sir?" Alex asked, smirking as her fingers danced beneath the hem of his boxers. "Still wrapped up – unused?"

Gene chuckled, shaking his head and tangling one hand in her hair. "No; just newly polished..." he tugged her closer, stroking at her ear as she tugged at his underwear, helped along as he lifted his hips up towards her. His lips parted as her hands slid the garment away, and then worked back up his legs, teasing him and causing him to bite back a groan.

He saw her eyes widen slightly as she revealed him, and he couldn't help the grin that formed on his face as she raised an inquisitive eyebrow in his direction. "That's a very impressive weapon, Mr Hunt; is it fully functional?"

"You tell me," he murmured, gulping hard as she looked at him in assessment before taking him gently in hand. She let out a soft humming noise, and his mouth went dry, hips twitching towards her without conscious thought as she spoke softly.

"Smooth barrel," she murmured, stroking him up and down in one fluid motion. Her thumb traced the tip and she grinned as Gene gasped in surprised pleasure. "Nice muzzle... perfect ejection port..." she grinned up at him, seeing him bite down on his lip as he tried to hold back the urge to thrust up into her hand again. Her other hand slid down him, stroking tenderly across the sensitive skin until she cupped his balls, squeezing gently and listening as he let out a slight whimper of desire that she was certain he was unaware of. "Mmmm," she said appreciatively, licking her lips suggestively, "nice trigger, too- very sensitive."

"Alex," he groaned, tugging her head closer to him, his eyes pleading. "Please, can we just-?"

"Not quite!" Alex interrupted, smirking as she stroked upwards once again, feeling his hand tighten on her hair as she spoke softly, just loud enough for him to hear. "Fully loaded... well weighted... good balance..." she grinned, moving closer and blowing lightly on his tip, feeling, rather than hearing the rumble of his throat. "What's the fire power like, I wonder?"

Gene's groan pitched as she closed her mouth around him, sliding her lips down his length and causing the world to spin off its axes.

----

A while later, Gene lay on his back, breathing heavily and sweating in the aftermath of orgasm. Alex crawled up the bed towards him, grinning smugly as she settled herself comfortably against his chest. "Satisfied, Officer?" she asked, fingers dancing down his bare torso.

He nodded mutely, eyes trailing up over her body with a soft groan. "Yeah..." he managed, breathlessly. "You're not though... Shouldn't 'ave let you finish me off like that..."

"It's not all about the orgasm, Gene," she laughed, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "In fact, orgasm's much more of a novelty for women than it is for men; alot of women never experience one at all!"

His eyebrows flew slightly upwards as he looked at her, quirking his lip before he spoke. "Yeah, but alot of women 'aven't shagged me..." he kissed her forehead lightly, breathing in deep before he murmured. "Sort you in a bit... when I can move again."

Alex smiled, resting her body gently alongside his and placing her head on his shoulder once more. The silence that followed was warm and comfortable, but she couldn't help the doubt that suddenly descended on her, and a moment later, as Gene's hand slid into hers, she looked up at him. "Gene?"

His eyes fluttered open as he turned his head towards her and murmured a soft, almost resigned, "yes Bols?"

She waited for a while, gulping hard in her throat before managing, in a small, tentative voice, "Are you drunk?"

Gene shrugged, turning to press a kiss to her forehead before he spoke. "Pissed as a very old fart with a catheter leak, Bols," he conceded, his arm snaking around her waist and tightening as he added, "but I'm not sorry."

She breathed a sigh of relief, and nodded, gripping his fingers slightly tighter. "Good..."

He hesitated, and then muttered, "Are you?"

"Drunk?" Alex asked, glancing up to meet his eyes. "Or sorry?"

He gulped, hesitantly drawing his hand from hers and tracing down her cheek. "Both."

She turned her face slightly, pressing a tender kiss to the inside of his wrist before she replied. "Drunk? Just a little. Sorry? Not at all."

Gene smirked, leaning forward just enough to brush her lips with his own. "Good," he murmured, before pulling her mouth towards him and kissing her deeply, feeling her respond with eagerness as he took her lips, nibbling and sucking as her hand sank into his hair again. He rolled her onto her back, his hand sliding down over her arse and the tops of her thighs, fingers tracing delicate patterns as he settled himself over her, his touch and kiss gentle, heated and breathtaking all at once. Alex kissed him back with equal tenderness and fervour, parting her legs willingly as he positioned himself above her, his arousal pressing firmly against her as his hands moved to her thighs, gripping slightly tighter as he broke away from her kiss and moved to her ear. "Condoms?" He asked, breathless as he tried to ignore the way she undulated against him, rolling her hips into his with a small smile on her lips, just as she shook her head.

"Pill," she assured him, drawing his mouth back down to hers and swiping her tongue at his lower lip.

"But-?"

"It's fine!" Alex murmured, drawing him down again. Gene didn't bother to argue this time, following her lead and slipping his tongue smoothly into her mouth, feeling her shiver as he parted her thighs more widely and settled himself between them.

"Still time ter stop..." he murmured, lips moving across her cheek as he spoke, praying silently that she wouldn't turn him away now. "Won't pull the trigger if yer-!" He broke off as she raised her hips, one leg wrapping firmly around him as she ground against his erection, eyes dancing wickedly as she pulled his face into her line of sight.

"I'm not one to cock it and not pull it!" Alex assured him, licking her lips expectantly as she watched his Adams apple rise and fall in time with his gulp.

"You already pulled it, Bols," he murmured after a few moments, leaning down to cover her breast with his mouth as he pushed firmly into her. "But since yer seem so fond of cocking it, looks like I'll have to shoot you again..." he scattered kisses over her chest, moving slowly inside her, rocking his body against hers as she moaned her encouragement in his ear. He groaned softly, his eyes closed as her body enveloped him, heat and wetness wrapping him in a blissful cocoon as her fingers ran through his hair and down his back.

He moved back to her mouth, taking her lower lip between both of his as he lifted one of her legs, draping it over his shoulder as he entered her faster, breathing heavy as she pushed up at him, gasping and sighing with pleasure. His arm wrapped around her thigh, holding it against him as he continued kissing and thrusting, his mouth insistent and intense against hers as he felt himself getting closer...

Alex's hand slid to his chin and down his neck, dancing and caressing down his torso and between their bodies, feeling herself nearing the brink as he moved within her. She held his hip for a few moments, legs tightening around his back before he found her hand, wrapping their fingers together.

"Alex..." he whispered against her mouth, squeezing at her hand briefly, before leading it further downwards, his fingers releasing hers as he sought the bundle of nerves between her thighs. She whimpered, pressing harder up at him as she realized what he wanted, as her hand slid down between them to caress his balls, rolling them between her fingers to his groans of delight, feeling them tighten as he pushed harder, deeper, his teeth nipping and biting at her mouth and neck as he went on... His own hand worked her swiftly and expertly, pinching and rubbing her into ecstasy, her whole body going into spasm, clenching around him as he ploughed into her, making her head spin...

Gene groaned against her neck, feeling her tighten around him, just before she let out a wanton moan that would have made him come even without being buried in her to the hilt; as it was, he managed several erratic thrusts as she shook in his arms, before his own roar of guttural pleasure was ripped from his throat, and he was spilling into her in such blissful abandon that he saw nothing but the dazed, blessed-out expression on her face, before he collapsed on top of her, and enveloped her in his arms.

Sweating, shaking and spent, they fell asleep where they lay.

----

Waking a few hours later, with the morning light peaking in through the thin curtains and falling gently on Alex's face, Gene smiled. He watched her for a few moments, noting the way her hair pointed out in disarray, the way her perfect features were illuminated by a warm glow, how her arm draped possessively across his chest, and how one long, luscious leg was thrown across his hips, wrapped around him as she curled subconsciously into his embrace. He lifted one hand, tracing one delicate finger across her forehead to push aside a stray lock of brown hair. She shifted closer still, rubbing her face into his shoulder as she slept, and he sighed, wrapping his arms tighter around her.

He'd been wrong before, he realized. Life wasn't about watching her jiggle around in soaking wet clothes, or seeing her laugh until the tears flowed, or even about kissing her non-stop whenever he got the chance; life was about these moments of blissful serenity, where all the 'could-be's and 'should-be's fell into place. It was about these minutes where there was nothing but her and his senses were overrun; touch, smell, sight, taste, sound... It was about these seconds where his heart beat was steady, rhythmic, and dedicated solely to her. It was about heated kisses and passionate sex. It was about holding on for another chance because, somehow, he had finally found himself where he'd always wanted to be.

"Gene..." Alex murmured sleepily, snapping Gene from his reverie. Her eyes flickered open as she gazed up at him, shifting uncomfortably as she said; "This is lovely... but you're squeezing me really tight!"

---

**The end :-)**

**Hope you liked it!**

**Mage of the Heart **


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